Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has granted limited time to spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to cure a procedural defect in his writ petition challenging criminal proceedings registered against him, failing which the interim protection earlier granted will automatically lapse.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, while hearing Writ Petition No.143 of 2026 on January 21, observed that the affidavit filed in support of the petition was sworn not by the accused himself but by a devotee of the ashram—an issue strongly objected to by the State.
The petition arises from Crime No.201 of 2025, in which Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has been named as Accused No.1. The High Court had earlier, on January 13, 2026, granted an interim stay on further proceedings after entertaining the writ petition.
However, during the latest hearing, the Special Public Prosecutor raised a threshold objection to the maintainability of the petition itself. The prosecution argued that in criminal proceedings—particularly those invoked under Articles 226 and 482 of the CrPC / Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)—an accused cannot be represented through a power of attorney holder, nor can a third party depose an affidavit on behalf of the accused.
Opposing any extension of the interim stay, the State contended that the petition was defective on the face of the record and liable to be dismissed unless rectified.
Responding to the objection, counsel for the petitioner, Advocate P. Prasanna Kumar, submitted that writ proceedings permit such filing under certain circumstances and explained that the accused was unavailable at the relevant time. He assured the court that the defect would be cured if time was granted.
Taking note of the submissions, the High Court granted time until 10:30 a.m. on January 23, 2026, to rectify the defect by filing a proper affidavit.
The court made it clear that if the defect is not cured within the stipulated time, the interim order of stay will stand automatically vacated without further reference.
The matter has been directed to be listed on January 23, 2026, under the Fresh Matters list.
Key Legal Takeaways
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar remains Accused No.1 in Crime No.201/2025
- Interim stay granted on 13 Jan 2026 is conditional
- Affidavit filed by a devotee, not by the accused himself
- High Court has not ruled on merits of the FIR yet
- Failure to rectify defect will automatically end interim protection
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: ಅಫಿಡವಿಟ್ ದೋಷದ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿಶಂಕರ್ಗೆ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆ: ತಿದ್ದುಪಡಿ ಆಗದಿದ್ದರೆ ಮಧ್ಯಂತರ ತಡೆಯಾಜ್ಞೆ ರದ್ದು
Also Read: No Ownership, No Control Over Land: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Tells Karnataka HC in Encroachment Case
About the Author
